Woman Gets 18 Years For Fatal High-Speed DWI Crash In Nassau: DA

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — A woman was sentenced Wednesday to up to 18 years in prison for a May 2022 high-speed drunken crash that killed Scott Freeman, 66, near his Baldwin home, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced Wednesday.

Jinaraya Khan, 33, of Baldwin, pleaded guilty on Dec. 18 to aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree assault and aggravated driving while intoxicated.

The NCDA recommended a sentence of seven to 21 years in prison.

"Scott Freeman was a hard-working and kind man who had dreams of retiring to the south in a year's time," Donnelly said in a news release. "Those dreams came to a tragic end when just down the street from his home in Baldwin, Jinaraya Khan struck his vehicle at 96 miles an hour and killed him as he drove to work. The defendant was so intoxicated that she remained more than three times the legal limit for alcohol 40 minutes after the crash. Drunk driving destroys lives. It cost Scott Freeman his life and the defendant her freedom. Our thoughts remain with Scott's family and friends as they continue to mourn his loss."

Around 5:15 a.m. May 3, 2022, Freeman tried to make a left turn in his 2011 Toyota Corolla onto Grand Avenue near his home, officials said. He was then struck by a 2020 BMW X3 driven by Khan, authorities said. Khan was highly intoxicated and speeding northbound on Grand Avenue, prosecutors said.

Freeman died at the scene.

Khan remained at the scene and was arrested by Nassau police, officials said. She was then brought to the hospital for injuries suffered in the collision, the DA said.

An analysis of the Khan's BMW's crash data recorder revealed that Khan was traveling at 96 miles per hour at the time of collision, investigators said. The speed limit on Grand Avenue at that location is 35 miles per hour.

A search warrant for Khan's blood taken at the hospital revealed that her blood alcohol content was 0.25%, more than three times the legal limit, 42 minutes after the crash, prosecutors said.

Khan claimed that she had consumed two mimosas and was late to work at John F. Kennedy Airport, the DA said.

Freeman worked at a local printing company and had plans to retire in the next year, Donnelly said.

Khan is represented by Lance Lazzaro.